The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-07-20
JOUR- q. s. SENATORS"

That indefatigable organ of re-
form ~ democracy, the New Orleans
Picayune, has officially announced to
the next Legislature that Hon. R. L.
Gibson Is the reform candidate for re
election to tho U. S. Senate. The
Picay'.ne places Gen. Gibson in the
same boat with its favorite for Cover
nor, Gen. Nichols When the new
Legislature meets in May next, and
discusses the senatorial election, many
members of that body, while review
ing the claims of Gen. Gibson as a
friend of "rice," "sugar" and the
"Mississippi river" will ask what Gen.
Gibson has done, more than other able
democrats, to re-establish national
democratic administration. If the Cen
erals mission, by being classified as a
reform democrat, is to purify the de-
mocracy of Louisiana and to champion
the candidacy Of Gen. Nichols for
Governor, it behooves himto repudiate
the alliance with the four great ring
bosses Of New Orleans, aptly styled
the "big four" in order that his Gre
form" dodge may pass as the genuine
article. Thousands of life long dem
ocrats in Louisiana look upon the plea
of reform that has been SO swectly
urged by the Picay,ene and few other
newspapers, as not having even the
merits of a "chcstnut," but as the veri-
est sham of subterfuge. TO put the
issue in a nutshell, it is the "outs"
headed by the New Orleans Picayune
and its allies trying to get control of
public offices and patronage. Gen.
Nichols may not altogether approve
of the "dodge" his supporters are try
ing to play on the democratic hosts of
Louisiana. A very practical candi-
date would not, and as Gen. Gibson
has tied his political fortune to such a
banner he will of course explain the
why's and wherefores during the COM
ing campaign, and must stand or fall
with lis colors.
During the campaign and also du-
ring the coming session of the legisla-
ture, we believe that thousands of
democrats will consider the strong
claims of ex-senator Jonas to be re-
turned to the U. S. Senate. No DEM
ocratic leader in the State deserves
higher consideration at the hands of
his party, OR could more fifty fill tho
office of U. S. Senator from Louisiana
than Hon. B. +. Jonas. We can safe
ly assert that no democrat in the State
enjoys more cordial admiration than
he from all the rank and file of the
party.
His enthusiastic devotion to the
principles and the success of democ-
racy, both National and State, has
been placed on record in many fierce
and doubtful contest in the past. Gen.
Gibson may be, as the Picayuue claims,
a power behind the throne with the
present National Administration, but
during the life and death struggle of
1884, when the chances of democratic
success seemed waning and hopeless,
and the hearts of democrats every
where were filled with forebodings of
national defeat, B. F. Jonas fastened
to the hottest field of combat and dan
ger among our Northern friends, and,
at great personal sacrifice, stood and
stayed with our National Committee
working and planning the movements
of democratic forces to bring victory
to the cause of his struggling party.
While Gen. Gibson now commands
the patronage of the administration
which Jonas SO ably aided to estab-
fish, the latter commands the warmest
gratitude and admiration of his party
in Louisiana, and a national reputa-
ton as o leader of the first order of
ability. B. F. Jonas is a gilt-edged
democrat, and "don't you forget it"